Midfielder Joe Willock to sit out Newcastles Premier League game with Arsenal

Joe Willock will sit out Newcastle’s Premier League showdown with Arsenal on Sunday under the terms of his loan agreement.

The Gunners midfielder, who has scored after coming on as a substitute in each of his last three games, is ineligible to face his parent club.

Defender Fabian Schar is available following his recovery from a knee injury, but wing-back Matt Ritchie is a slight doubt with a calf problem and keeper Karl Darlow and midfielder Isaac Hayden (both knee), skipper Jamaal Lascelles (foot) and winger Ryan Fraser (groin) are still out.

Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could again be named among the substitutes as he continues his comeback from malaria.

Alexandre Lacazette (hamstring) and Kieran Tierney (knee) are both back in training but the game could come too early for the pair.

David Luiz has recovered from his own knee injury and could come into the side with manager Mikel Arteta likely to have an eye on the second leg of the Europa League semi-final against Villarreal on Thursday.

Newcastle provisional squad: Dubravka, Gillespie, Krafth, Manquillo, Lewis, Dummett, Clark, Fernandez, Schar, Shelvey, Hendrick, M. Longstaff, S. Longstaff, Murphy, Ritchie, Anderson, Atsu, Wilson, Joelinton, Almiron, Saint-Maximin, Gayle, Carroll.

Arsenal provisional squad: Leno, Ryan, Bellerin, Cedric, Chambers, Gabriel, Mari, Holding, Luiz, Tierney, Xhaka, Ceballos, Elneny, Partey, Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Willian, Pepe, Aubameyang, Martinelli, Lacazette, Nketiah, Balogun.

 

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